The Aftermath
by MQ1
Summary: Harry has survived the war with one other. They talk one night of what might have been and their ability to cope. HPGW and ADMM


**The Aftermath**

Harry kicked the bottle in front of him aimlessly and watched detached as it made a graceful arc and disappeared over the low wall. He didn't know why he did it; in fact he didn't know why he did a lot of things. Like visit Ginny's grave everyday despite knowing she was never coming back. Like make the same journey day-after-day around the Hogwarts grounds where so many painful memories were.

He looked at Hagrid's hut and suppressed a sob. Hagrid had, despite his giant's blood, been overcome in the final battle after taking two score of death eaters with him. His hut now sat empty and alone. No one had been inside since he had died least of all Harry who knew he couldn't deal with the memories that revolved around the simple wooden structure.

He sighed and turned back and headed toward the castle. It was summer and only he and Professor McGonagall were there. It was odd; he had become friends with his former transfiguration teacher after Ron had turned away from him when Ginny had died for the cause. He hadn't seen Ron for two years now after he had punched Harry in the jaw before turning on his heel and leaving Harry unconscious on a London street.

It was Professor McGonagall who had found him and brought him back to Hogwarts. He discovered that she had been both an Auror and a mediwitch and she had been indispensable in the final battle where only she and Harry had emerged with their lives. He would always remember the way Ginny had fallen beside him. He had paused momentarily to try and save her but had quickly realised that she was gone. In his fury he had raised his wand he had shot Avada Kedavra at Voldemort. What he hadn't expected was for Professor McGonagall to do the same thing and their spells collided and exploded killing all the Death Eaters in the vicinity and Voldemort in one foul swoop.

They had not celebrated but had turned and begun to retrieve the dead to return to their families. Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Colin and Dennis Creevy, Dean Thomas, Filius Flitwick, Pomona Sprout; the names were endless and it took them over 24 hours to complete the task. When they were finished they did the only logical thing and returned to Hogwarts to bury the dead.

The school was going to reopen and Professor McGonagall would be Headmistress with Harry as her Deputy, Head of Gryffindor and Defence Against the Arts Professor. She was having reservations about her ability to run the school and Harry was forced to on more than one occasion take a firm line with her.

"Harry," Professor McGonagall said as he entered the hall, "Let's eat."

He nodded and followed her to the Head office which was now hers. They ate together there and not in the Great Hall which was too large for a mere two people.

"Any news?" Harry asked stabbing a potato.

Professor McGonagall shook her head, "Unless you count the Ministries usual interfering letters as news."

Harry gave a bark of laughter and shook his head, "You know I don't."

They fell silent and finished their meal. Neither of them ate much anymore and both were far too thin for their respective heights. The look suited Professor McGonagall as the lack of food highlighted her exquisite patrician facial structure but Harry knew that he just looked emaciated.

"Do you ever think about what-might-have been?" Harry asked as he pushed his plate away.

Professor McGonagall shrugged, "It doesn't pay to dwell on the past Harry."

"You didn't answer my question."

Professor McGonagall sighed deeply, "I think about it everyday Harry. What if I could have persuaded him not to take you to find that Horcrux? Not to trust Snape. To teach you occulemency himself rather than rely on a death eater. The list is endless."

Harry nodded, "The benefit of hindsight."

"Or curse," Professor McGonagall retorted.

"Or curse," Harry agreed.

They fell silent again and Harry studied Dumbledore's portrait on the wall. The former Headmaster was sleeping peacefully against his frame apparently unaware of his surroundings.

"The students will arrive tomorrow," Harry said more to break the silence than anything else.

"I know."

"Do you think we're ready for them?"

Professor McGonagall sighed deeply and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Hogwarts has been open for centuries. It shouldn't close now because of a threat that has now passed."

"You didn't answer my question," Harry said for the second time that night.

Professor McGonagall gave a soft laugh. "Yes we're ready for them," she said her voice gaining in strength, "You and I have the capacity to cope in any situation and I don't see that this is any different."

Harry nodded satisfied with her answer and watched with a small grin as she summoned a bottle of scotch and poured two glasses.

"I never thought it would be you and I sitting here after the war had ended," he said as he sipped the amber liquid he had grown a penchant for.

"What did you think?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Not this. If you'd told me in sixth year I would end up drinking scotch with you at midnight after the war was over I would have sent you to Madame Pomfrey."

He fell silent as he remembered the school nurse who had fought bravely in the final battle but had succumbed to Lucius Malfoy's Avada Kedavra curse before anyone had turned to help her fight.

Professor McGonagall refilled his glass without him asking and he gave her a small smile of appreciation.

"What about you?" he asked.

"How did I think it would end?" she asked interlacing her fingers together, "I thought I would see you and Miss Weasley marry, I thought I'd sit at my husband's side as he addressed the school with those ridiculous speeches of his, I thought that I'd argue with Snape over a quidditch timetable and nothing more."

She fell silent and swirled the scotch in the crystal glass before downing it in one shot.

"I forgot that you killed him," Harry said watching as she banished the scotch bottle back to its position on the shelf.

"Really? I didn't," she said sarcastically.

Harry took her sardonic tone in his stride. "I'd never seen anyone that angry before."

"Yes well. One gets like that when faced with their husband's killer."

"Did I ever tell you that you were glowing?" Harry asked remembering the way his former Professor's face had shone in stark relief against the white light emanating from her as magic flowed from her body.

"No."

"You were glowing."

"Wonderful. You can call me the Great Glowing Tabby Cat." Professor McGonagall said her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Harry gave a harsh bark of laughter and rose to his feet. "Well we'd better get some sleep. It's a big day tomorrow. No sorry today," he said as he glanced at his watch. "Goodnight."

Professor McGonagall nodded and Harry turned and made his way down the revolving staircase and to his chambers near the Gryffindor Common Room. As he entered he looked at the enlarged photo of him and Ginny that had been taken at their engagement party. Ginny waved at him wildly with a huge grin on his face and Harry gave a rueful smile as he turned away and walked into his bedroom.

As he lay down on his bed he thought of what Professor McGonagall had said. It was true that they both could cope with any given situation but he wondered just how much they could take. Shrugging he turned over and willed his body to sleep without the nightmares that had plagued him since the war had ended.

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Harry gave Professor McGonagall a reassuring smile which she returned as she rose to her feet and addressed the school for the first time as Headmistress. Harry had overseen the sorting without incident and already he and Professor McGonagall worked seamlessly as if they had done so for eons.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said loudly drowning out any talkers among the student population, "You must all be famished. I therefore urge to eat." She clapped her hands once and food appeared on all the tables. Harry gave her hand a squeeze as she sat back down.

"I think we can do it," Harry whispered into her ear.

"We already are," she said turning and giving him a rare smile that had become almost extinct after the war.

Harry grinned back before the both turned back to their food and ate silently. They had said everything they needed to. Hogwarts would go on.


End file.
